Lima Lote

This week we had a few things going on - to start out the week on Tuesday we were in between appoinments because one of our appointments had fallen through so we were walking through a part of our area that we don´t go to very often, and as we were passing by I saw a Venezuelan man sitting on a bench (quick side note, there are a lot of Venezualans in Peru right now because of the political and economic situation in Venezuela) and I felt like I should talk to him. So I got close and when I was about five feet away I realized he was smoking a cigarette, but I figured it was too late so I continued. We ended up teaching him the first lesson right there in the park. The guy´s name is Daniel and he´s been in Lima for about 2 weeks, he´s living right now in a Christian refuge and was really interested in the Book of Mormon, we´ll keep meeting with him this week.

We´ll be watching conference this week at the stake centre. I´m excited for this conference because I´ll be able to understand a heck of a lot more than last conference. For Easter I don´t really know, this week is Semana Santa or Holy week and everyone has work off from Thursday to Monday. In Metro which is the big grocery store here I have seen a couple easter eggs but I don´t think they´re very popular here. It´s a lot more about the life of Jesus Christ. And there is always someone who signs up to feed the missionaries lunch so I´m sure we´ll be having something delicious.

This past week too an hermana from my old ward in Comas came to church to tell me that she wants me to teach her Mom who lives in our area. So that same Sunday we went and taught her and a couple of her grandchildren. This week we went back for a second lesson and while we were there we were invited to eat dinner, which was... Guinea pig! I finally ate guinea pig, I did it. It tasted pretty good actually. The members Mom raises her own guinea pigs to eat. Afterwards we had another lesson with even more grandkids which was good.

We were passing by a soccer field where a member´s son and a bunch of his friends play, we decided to stop and talk and challenged them to a friendly game of futbol. To our surprise one of the kids came up to us after and asked us what does he have to do to join the church? His name is Hubert and he came to church this Sunday. We´re still getting to know him but he seems really interested. He´s 16 years old.

The best part of the week was definitely Saturday, Juana and Andres - I don´t know if I´ve talked about them yet - they decided to be baptized. Juana and Andres are an older couple we have been teaching the past couple weeks. They are super humble and super sweet. They have three kids, their oldest who doesn´t live with them, and two more Denis who is 14 and Danilo who is 8. Juana has a couple brothers who are all member of the church and have been sealed in the temple (Juana went to the temple to support them) and Juana expressed her desire to be married in the temple as well. I am so glad to have been able to be a part of their conversion process, which is still ongoing even after baptism. I know that the Gospel is true, it is the path that will lead us back to our Heavenly Father. I know that it is only through the name of Jesus Christ that we can achieve exaltation. I know that as we repent and strive to perfect and sanctify ourselves in this life the Lord will strengthen our weaknesses and help us acheive more than we ever could on our own. I am humbled to have this opportunity to serve him here in Peru and I invite you to look for ways to serve him as well.

I love you guys,

Elder Thompson

Some photos from the baptism and a random photo from a surprise birthday party for Angelo, a member who always accompanies the missionaries